Who the World Needs
by ChaosWithImagination
Summary: AU where humans have visible Auras. A collection of one shots for the Avengers as they discover each other and fight against the forces of evil.
1. Hawk meets the Unassuming Ninja

I do not own the Avengers.

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 **Coulson.**

Phil Coulson stood with his hands loosely at his side waiting in a small side alley. He closed his eyes and focused. A few seconds later he snapped them open and began climbing the rusty drainage pipe that was mostly attached to the side of the rundown apartment complex. In a few minutes he was up over the small ledge of the roof, sliding into a crouch and scanning the darkness. He knew that his Locating was right and somewhere in those shadows was the famous Hawkeye. Out of the corner of his eye he saw it; a flash of light and if he had been any slower he would have been struck through by an arrow of vivid purple energy. Which meant two things that were very bad news. One; Hawkeye was out of arrows. Two; he missed Coulson which meant he was so injured that he decided that he would try Coulson out for help. Not that he knew who Coulson was. And that was the bad thing. Anyone could have come up here and Hawkeye would have tried. Therefore it was a good thing that the person that Hawkeye decided to try for help was actually willing to give it to him.

"Don't come any closer," a thick slurred voice spoke out from the exact spot Coulson was looking at. He still couldn't actually see Hawkeye.

"Clint Barton?" Coulson asked. The air seemed to tense all around him and then the shadows lit up with a violent shade of purple. Hawkeye sat with his bow across his legs, empty quiver at his side and his entire body engulfed in purple flame. Phil held back the gasp. He was looking into the face a man that wasn't even out of his teens, yet the youth was colored by something so dark that he didn't have any hesitance to understand why people feared him. Bright purple light was streaking out from open wounds, while blood stains colored in darker purple blotches on his skin.

"Who the hell are you?" Hawkeye demanded. Coulson took a step forward and Hawkeye snapped his arm up; his forefinger held out and the shape of an arrowhead formed around it. Coulson locked gazes with those glowing purple eyes, held his arms out with palms facing outward and knelt on the concrete.

"I am just here to help," he said, igniting his own aura slowly. Azure blue flicked around him. Coulson extended his hand just a bit and let some of his aura snake out towards Hawkeye. The blue light touched the purple flame and then merged with it. Instantly Hawkeye let out a small but high pitched whine and dropped his arm. Coulson instinctively rushed toward him, just in time to catch the body of the assassin as it listed dangerously to one side. The purple went to a flicker and Coulson found himself with his arms full of dangerous assassin. Glowing purple eyes looked up into his own glowing blue ones. "I am here to help," he whispered again and let his aura wash over the battered body. Hawkeye opened his mouth and soft pained sounds came out as Coulson watched as the smaller cuts began to seal up and the bruises faded out. Then without warning Hawkeye thrashed in his arms and ripped away. They both leapt to their feet and stood staring at each other; one with wariness and anger written blatantly over his face and the other with mostly concealed amusement.

"Don't ever do that to me again," Hawkeye snapped.

"You're welcome," Coulson said mildly.

"I should put an arrow through your eye," Hawkeye said.

"But you won't," Coulson said.

"And why not?" Hawkeye spat at him.

"A few reason really," Coulson said, "One; if you wanted to kill me would have done so when I first got up here. Two; I kept my word and helped you out and you don't kill people who help you. Three; I have given you no reason to kill me."

"Maybe I don't need a reason to kill you," Hawkeye replied.

"Maybe you want to have that," Coulson said. Hawkeye stared at him.

"What did you say?" he said softly. The tone would have sent shivers down a lesser man's spine.

"Maybe you want to have a reason to kill someone," Coulson said, "Without it being just for money, reputation or survival. Maybe you want what you do to mean something. Maybe you want a reason to continue using and honing that amazing skill that you have. Maybe you want to be more than Hawkeye; master assassin."

Coulson saw Hawkeye go still. It was almost like looking at a statue. Coulson would have thought he was dead if he didn't see the light movement of ribcage.

"You can give me that?" Hawkeye asked his tone light and mocking. Coulson heard the hope under the question.

"I can help you become that," Coulson replied, "If you give me that privilege."

Coulson saw him swallow and then Hawkeye stuck out his hand.

"I'm Clint Barton," he said with an open smile that made Coulson smile back in response, "I hope you got a good medical team because I'm as torn up as liquid shit."

Coulson took his hand, shook it once and Hawkeye collapsed.


	2. A little bond is better than nothing

I do not own the Avengers. (unfortunately)

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 **Coulson.**

Liquid shit turned out to be a closer description of Hawkeye's condition that Coulson liked. Angela, their on flight medic, exclaimed when she ran her aura experimentally over the Archer's unconscious form.

"What the hell did you do to this guy?" she hissed at Coulson with real heat. Coulson held his arms up defensively as she practically obscured Hawkeye's body with her vibrant green energy. He said nothing until her form relaxed a little and she glared at him; waiting for an explanation.

"It's wasn't us," he said, "He was being chased by at least three parties before we got involved." Angela frowned and looked down at the young man.

"Well as far as I can tell; he's bleeding internally, multiple fractures, he's got a concussion, he's been poisoned and suffering from undernourishment and sleep deprivation," she stated then paused, "I have no idea how he is still alive." Coulson looked at her with a measure of awe and skepticism.

"You can tell all that from just having your aura around him?" he asked. Angela looked up at him evenly. A tendril of her energy snaked out to wrap around his wrist.

"You are also suffering from sleep deprivation and under nourishment. You have a sprained ankle that your energy is already beginning to heal up. There are a few other minor things like sore muscles, a developing stomach ulcer for example, but they will heal up in time." She cocked at eyebrow at him. Coulson tilted his head in acquiesce.

"I have specialized in injury detection Agent Coulson and I am one of the best there is," Angela said, "I just like working in the field. I like being the first one on the scene. Fortunately I have a boss that understands that." They shared a grin and then both looked down at Hawkeye. "Unfortunately for this guy; his injuries are extensive. The most I can do is stabilize him till we get him back into proper medical. Then the team can tend to him before he mends badly. He is going to have a long road to recovery."

Coulson watched as Hawkeye stirred uneasily and moaned under Angela's energy. He had a sinking feeling that Hawkeye and long recovery times did not sit well with each other. He had no idea of how well they did not sit with each other.

Fury called him in briefing as soon as Coulson was cleared from medical. As he walked to his boss' office he realized that he had Hawkeye's blood on his skin and clothes. He sighed, hoping that this would not be a long briefing and that he could head for a shower soon. The Fates were not on his side. Fury made him go over his interaction with Hawkeye in excruciating detail. Coulson was not stranger to port mission briefings while covered in grime and being sleep deprived yet he found himself actually lagging while answering questions. Director Fury eventually held up a hand to stop Coulson mid-sentence, came over and laid a hand on Coulson's shoulder. There was the bare flicker of white and Coulson felt the most amazing feeling wash over him. He jerked in surprise because the Director never used his aura for anything.

"You're over taxed Coulson," Director Fury said with small smile, "Get some rest." Coulson opened his mouth to protest when Fury fixed him with The Look. Coulson closed his mouth and nodded.

"Yes Sir," he said. Fury smile became a little more pronounced.

"We will continue your briefing tomorrow," The Director added, "Besides, I think you are going to have your hand full of with your new asset."

"Sir?" the word was blurted out of his mouth before his brain could process what Fury just did.

"You brought in the famous Hawkeye," Fury said, "I don't think he is the kind of man that trusts easily yet he had chosen to trust you. Do you really think that he would accept anyone else to be his handler?" Coulson blinked. He must be more tired than he thought because that did not occur to him; it should have but it didn't. Coulson allowed himself a moment of humanity in front of his director and scrubbed his face with both hands.

"Yes Sir," he replied to Fury's question statement. Then he was dismissed with another one of Fury's looks. He took a moment to slide back into his Agent "Unruffled" Coulson skin before heading off down the corridors to his quarters. But before he could get there, a voice called out to him and he turned to see a nurse running towards him.

"Agent Coulson," she said as she came up to him, "you need to get to medical right now." Exactly five terrible things flashed through Coulson's mind before he turned direction and followed the nurse. When they entered Medical the tense slipped from palpable to extreme relief. Doctor Andrews came over to Coulson, his green aura flickering sporadically.

"I'm glad we found you Agent Coulson," he said, "Another five minutes and we would have had to sedate him." Coulson frowned and raised an eyebrow. The doctor hurried to explain.

"We got everything mostly fixed before he got up," Andrews said, "But he's got a massive infection going that not even his natural energies can fix. We need to give him more medication. But he won't let us near him now. My last resort would be sedation but I would have to get close to do that or I would have to use a tranquilizer gun. And I don't think that would do him any good to get shot at in a Medical Area." Andrews paused, "They said you brought him in, so I figured if anyone had a chance of talking him down, it would be you." The Doctor gestured to an examination area whose white curtains were glowing purple and had purple flames licking out from under them.

"I'll see what I can do," Coulson said.

The doctor looked at his watch, "You've got fifteen minutes before the medications that he already has begins to fail him completely."

Coulson nodded and flickered his own aura around him. He walked up the curtain and let a tendril snake out to reach the violet flames. There was a muffled sound from behind the curtains and then the light went out. Coulson stepped behind the curtain to find Hawkeye curled up on one end of the bed, his body shaking and soaked in sweat. Coulson moved to the bedside and reached a hand out to archer. Hawkeye flinched at the gesture. Coulson stayed his movement for a few seconds then slowly moved again allowing Hawkeye to track the movement. He placed his hand on the Archer's arm and hand to swallow his gasp. The young man's skin was like a furnace.

"Hawkeye," Coulson said. Barely focused eyes lifted to meet his. The archer's lips moved. Coulson lip read the word. "Clint," he amended. He paused then moved his hand to Clint's head, running his hand through the sweat, short blond hair. "Clint," he said again, "Give me the privilege. Don't take that away from me before I get the chance." Clint turned his head so that he could look at Coulson full in the face. They held gazes for long seconds then the master assassin reached out for the buzzer in front of him and pressed it. Coulson let out a slow sigh of relief as the Doctor and the Medical team came in a very controlled hurry. Coulson moved his hand from Clint's hair but the Archer whined and his eyes flickered violet. Coulson didn't meet the doctor's gaze as he resumed running his hand through Hawkeye's hair.

Two hours later Coulson was allowed to get the shower that he needed. As he stood under the almost unbearable hot water the day's events began to catch up with him. He had brought in one of the most famous assassins from the cold. Said famous assassin had begun to display an unprecedented and possibly unhealthy attachment to himself. He had begun to display an unprecedented and possibly unhealthy attachment to said famous assassin. What the hell was he saying at Clint's bedside? Did he know what he was setting himself up for? Did Clint know what Coulson was saying when he said those words? Coulson shut off the shower and stood for a while. He knew what he was saying. He knew what he was setting himself up for. He had known it from the moment he set eyes on Hawkeye. And now he had on his hands one of the world's most deadly men for an asset. He had a feeling this was going to be one hell of a ride.


	3. The Spider in her Web

I do not own The Avengers.

This story is basically writing itself. I am just going with how the story seems to want to flow. You guys know what i mean. This chapter is a just a little glimpse into the mind of Natasha at this point in time in her life.

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 **Natasha.**

As much as she tried she could never get their voices out of her head. She was free but she had no idea what Freedom meant anymore. Years ago this concept of freedom was all she could think about once she started to think for herself. That concept had translated to freedom equals escaping from the Red Room; where only she would have control over her life. Then she got that Freedom, she escaped the Red Room. Then when faced with the wide world with no one to give instructions of what to do, where to go and what was her purpose; she had almost gone back. Almost. She spent ten days in a rundown building suffering through the withdrawal symptoms of the Red Rooms drugs seeping out of her system, the mind traps that lay buried in her brain in the event of an attempted escape, the horrible times of going out for sustenance while walking in a flashback but she made it. She had achieved her goal and found that she was not free. In everything that she did, in the life she had made for herself, the Red Room was still there. Their voices guided her through missions, tortured her in dreams and haunted her with every mention of her name as her reputation grew; The Black Widow. She would never be free.


	4. What the Hawk Sees

I do not own the Avengers

I didn't like how my last chapter went. I rushed it and it came out not having the same amount of feeling that the other chapters had. So i replaced it with this one. I hope you all like this one. Reviews please. Lemme know what you think.

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Clint

Clint Barton likes Phil Coulson. He likes how he wears those uptight three piece suits and makes it look like he's totally at home in them. He likes how efficient Phil is and how no matter what he says or does; he can barely crack that bland poker face. He likes the crisp commands and the on-the-sly jokes that just pop out of nowhere. He likes Phil's almost unhealthily obsession with Captain America. But liking someone isn't enough to put your life in their hands. Liking someone doesn't mean that you would let them watch your back. There were a lot of people that he liked that he didn't trust. There were a lot of people that he admired and he had put an arrow through them. There were people that he liked that had betrayed him. So liking Phil Coulson had nothing to do with why Clint Barton stays. It was the little things that Phil didn't notice that he did that sealed the deal for Clint. It was when he said something, he backed up what he said. It was that he brought Clint breakfast every day. It was that he told Clint off for being stupid and taking reckless chances on a mission. It was that he never took it easy on him during training. It was that he sometimes sat with Clint when he was in medical. It was all those things and hundred other mundane actions that told Clint that Phil Coulson cared. And because Phil cared, Clint Barton stayed.

Yet there were times when he felt that something in his life was missing. He felt it most keenly when he merged auras with Phil. He knew that people with Auras sometimes found a person that they could Link with; a merging of Auras so complete that you would literally be in the other person's mind. He had never felt that but he craved it. It was as if he knew that somewhere out there; someone was waiting to be in his head. But he hadn't found them yet. All he had was Phil and their Merge. And if he was fated to never find that mysterious person that he longed for, he think he could survive as long as he had Phil.


	5. Birth of a Hero Part One of Steve

I do not own the Avengers.

This Chapter for Steve's Story takes place in two parts. I hope you all enjoy.

Please review so i can know what i am doing right or wrong. THANKS!

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Steve

Steve raised a hand in front of him and summoned his aura. The pale blue light flickered and built agonisingly slowly but surely into a shield in front of Steve small form. His attacker, a large burly boy, had been kicking some stray dogs in an alley way when Steve came upon him. Steve of course could never stand bullies and had came to the dogs' rescue. That had not gone well as he was obviously experiencing. The boy laughed and flared his own aura. The sickly red seemed to light the boy's face in such a way that he looked devilish. Steve swallowed his fear as the boy stalked him and raised a fist.

"This is going to be so much better than kicking dogs," his attacker laughed and then slammed his fist down in Steve's shield. For a second Steve thought that his Shield would hold but then he felt his energy press against his mind like a rubber band and snap. The backlash of his aura caused him to stumble back, mind dazed a bit as if he had actually been punched.

"You are such a weakling," his attacker taunted, "what the hell made you think that you can take me?" Steve snarled at him, whipping around to grab the cover off a trash can and summon his aura again. The boy sighed this time at first then gave Steve another devilish grin, this time with a malice that made a shiver run down Steve's spine. He knew that if the boy got his hands on him this time, blood was going to be shed. And it was going to be his.

 _'Bucky is going to kill me when he finds out,'_ Steve thought to himself as the boy's fist came down again. His shield held longer this time but once again his attacker broke through and the backlash sent Steve stumbling again. But before he could gain his footing the boy had grabbed him by the collar and was swinging a fist into his jaw. Pain sparked along his right jawline and up his face. He could almost see Bucky rolling his eyes and snorting as Steve tried to explain himself about this escapade. The next fist drove all thought from his mind. He tried to keep breathing but the fist to his stomach stopped all chance of that plan. Steve doubled over, his already frail lungs screaming obscenities at him while he tried to get them to work. There was a pause when Steve thought that maybe the boy had gotten tired of hitting him when he felt himself being pulled forward then pushed violently backward. He crashed into the trash cans and rolled onto his side groaning a bit when he saw the boy loom over him grinning still. Then he realized what was going to happen. For the first time in this fight he felt real fear, the mind numbing kind that made his tongue feel heavy and his voice stick in his throat. The boy nudged him a bit with the toe of his boot and then lifted his foot. Steve remembered the high, painful whine of the dogs and hoped that he didn't make that noise when that boot came down. The boy held his foot over Steve for a few seconds milking the moment then brought it down with a grunt.

Steve closed his eyes, a wild noise was building up in his throat. But instead of a horrible pain lancing through him; he heard a shout of surprise, a thud and then footsteps. He opened his eyes to see his attacker on the ground and Bucky standing over the boy, his dark blue aura flickering like wild fire and his eyes a glowing dark blue. The boy was looking up in fear and awe at Bucky. Bucky snarled at the boy, grabbed him up and punched him. The boy reeled back and Bucky followed. Two punches later and a kick to the pants and the boy was gone. Bucky came back and pulled Steve up just as Steve was trying to get himself up. Steve protested that he was fine but stopped when Bucky gave him the signature _look_.

"He was kicking dogs Buck," Steve stated as if that made all the sense in the world. Fortunately this was Bucky he was talking to and Bucky understood Steve. Bucky looked at him and then sighed. Steve smiled a little a winced at the pain in his lip. He licked at it and found that it had split. Bucky slung his arm around Steve shoulders, his eyes not glowing anymore but his aura still flickering. Steve felt Bucky's mind reach out to Link them a little and a soothing wave wash over him and he swayed a bit on his feet.

"You don't have to do that Buck," he protested out of habit, "I can manage." Bucky laughed and let his aura engulf Steve a bit more as he guided them out of the alley and down the street.

"I know you can Steve," Bucky said, "But every now and then I like to feel useful to you, you know. Can't you let a guy feel like he's needed once in a while?" Steve laughed and leaned into Bucky pulling on his friend aura energy and using it to let himself heal. Bucky squeezed his shoulder and then said, "Besides I lined up some date for us at Stark's expo. I have to have you looking at your best."

Steve jerked away to look at Bucky with his mouth open. "What did you tell them about me?" he asked his hands moving to his hair to smooth it a bit. Bucky took pity on him and helped him out.

"Only the good things," Bucky assured him and led the way.

The double date of course went horribly as usual with both girls having eyes only for Bucky, who was looking dashing in his soldier's uniform. Steve stopped trying to impress the girl that was supposed to be on his arm and instead actually paid attention to the things around him. Howard Stark was the main attraction as usual, using his charm and flamboyance to hold the crowd as he showed off his latest invention; an actual flying car. It only stayed up in the air for a few seconds but it was still amazing. Steve glanced at his watch and then looked around to find Bucky. His friend was nowhere to be seen. He thought about Linking a bit and finding Bucky but he didn't want to ruin Bucky's night. So he shrugged and began to make his way out of Expo. He was almost to the door when he felt the Link right before a hand grabbed his shoulder.

"Where you going punk?" Bucky asked, his tone light but Steve could hear the tremor through the Link. Steve turned to see Bucky behind him with his hand now in his pockets.

"When are you shipping out?" Steve asked instead. They could feel each others emotions through their Link. Bucky swallowed hard.

"Tomorrow," he said. Steve looked at him without saying anything. "You don't need to do this," Bucky said, his hand slipping out of his pockets and into them again.

"I want to do this," Steve replied, "I want to make some kind of a difference Bucky. I can't go on living like this, knowing that you and other guys are out there doing a service for our country and i am here doing nothing."

Bucky said nothing but he looked away. This argument was so old with them but it still hurt everytime they talked about it. "I just don't want you hurt," Bucky said looking back at Steve, his eyes glowing a bit, "you are the only family I got left Steve. I don't want to lose you."

Steve nodded, letting his own eyes glow a little. "I know Buck. You are the only family I got too," Steve said softly, "I don't want you going into danger all by yourself. I may not be in the same place as you but at least if I get in, you will know that you are not alone. I'll be fighting right alongside with you." Bucky's eyes glowed bright for a second and then he grabbed Steve and hugged him.

"Punk," Bucky said hoarsely.

"Jerk," Steve replied affectionately. They let go and dropped the Link. Steve could only handle the strain for short periods of time. "Where did the girls go?" Steve asked.

Bucky slipped his hands back in his pockets and began walking out. "I ditched them to find you," He said airily, "Now let's go someplace and enjoy my last night as a free man."

The night wasn't very exciting per say but for Steve it was a good last night. They had spent it eating and lounging in a diner until the owner threw them out at closing time. Then they climbed to their favorite high spot and spent another hour or so just talking with their aura's Linked as close as Steve could handle. Then they made their way back to the small apartment that they shared and went to bed. Steve had just climbed into his bed when Bucky had come and got under the sheets without a word and lay next to Steve with his head on Steve chest, like they used to do when they were kids. Steve instinctively curled his arm around Bucky's shoulders. It was a comfort position for both of them; Steve did it to keep warm and to know that Bucky was there and Bucky did it so that he could listen to Steve's heart beat and breathing and know that he was still alive.

Dawn found them wreathed in their merged auras of light and dark blue and then it was a mad scramble to get Bucky dressed and out of the house in time to catch his squad. They arrived with a few minutes to spare. It was only when they both looked at the crowds of family members giving farewells to their sons, brothers and husbands and boyfriends that it struck home. Bucky was going to war. And he may not come back.

"I am going to come back home Steve," Bucky said. Steve nodded his throat suddenly tight. Bucky gave him a lopsided grin and then grabbed Steve into a tight embrace. Steve felt the Bucky Link to him strong.

"I love you Punk," Bucky breathed.

"I love you too Jerk," Steve said. They pulled apart and then Steve stuck his hand out, "Don't have all the fun until I get there."

Bucky shook his hand. "It won't be fun until you do," Bucky replied. Then the call went out and Steve watched his best friend and brother walk into danger without him by his side.

Steve stood in line with the other applicants. He was painfully aware that he was lacking everything that they wanted but he had to try. It was two weeks now and Bucky was out there. He had to get enlisted. He went through the motions; got height checked, weighed, went through a physical and then up the desk to get stamped. He watched in dismay when he stamped 4F again. He sighed and slipped out of the line to get his clothes. He was just finished when a small man walked through the door with a stack of files. Steve glanced at him and then moved to leave.

"Steve Rogers," the man said. Steve looked back at him surprised to hear his name. The man wasn't looking at him but at the files. Realization dawned on Steve with a gut wrenching feeling. The man opened several more files, nodded to himself and then looked a Steve. "There are alot of Steve Rogers here," he said in an accent that was familiar but Steve couldn't place it, "Where are you actually from Steve?"

Steve found that he could not speak nor ear his eyes away from the files. It was against the law to lie on application forms. The man spoke again as if he had read Steve's mind, "Did you know it is against the law to lie on your application forms?"

Steve nodded; it made no sense to lie now that the game was clearly up. The man looked at his files. "Why did you lie on the forms?" He asked, "Do you want to kill Nazis that badly?" Steve shook his head.

"I don't want to kill anyone," he said, "I just don't like bullies, no matter where they are from" The man looked at him for a long while and then back to the files. "Are you going to report me?" Steve asked. Then man looked at him and then smiled.

"No," he said, "I am going to give you a chance."

So Steve got enlisted through a short old man with an accent. It wasn't what he envisioned as his enlisting story but that didn't matter. The only thing that mattered was that he was in. His elation at enlisting was soon lost when he began training. It was endless hours of running, climbing, crawling, more running, learning how to use their weapons, learning how to use their auras, more running and not enough sleep. All of which Steve was failing at spectacularly. Yet for some reason he had not been expelled yet. He figured it had something to do with Dr. Erskine; the short, old man that had given him the chance to become a soldier. The man was a scientist but Steve saw alot of him during their training; watching them, making notes and occasionally smiling at Steve. Alongside him was the beautiful and fiesty Peggy Carter. Steve had seen her punch a guy unconscious with one blow and was not keen to be on the receiving end of that fist. But he admired her and saw a bit of himself in her. They were both two people that were disadvantaged; him by his illness and her by her sex, but they both were not taking that as an excuse to stop them from doing what they wanted. But it was really the memory of Bucky that kept him doing his best even when he felt like he was going to die on the training and ground. If he failed at this chance there was no way he would be in a position to help Bucky.

There were a few good times as well. Like when he unpinned the flag pole and got to ride the army truck back to base. When the boys discovered his art skills and made him draw likenesses of them which was of course followed by very varied requests some of which he had to deny very strongly. When they had celebrated birthdays that had come around, singing quietly in the dark. When they had played pranks on each other and then suffered the punishment together when they got found out. Then one day Dr. Erskine and their Drill Sargent came arguing onto the field while they were doing push ups. It wasn't anything unusual but what happened next was. The Drill Sargent snatched a grenade from a box, unpinned it and tossed it into the group. The word "grenade" rang out like a shot in the air. Instinctively Steve tracked the motion of the small, dull green, ball of death as it rolled along the grass. He counted precious seconds, watching for an opening as his team mates scattered then jumped onto the grenade, curling his body around it.

"Stay back!" He screamed waving wildly, waiting for death to come, "Stay back!"

But death didn't come. He lay there for long seconds before he uncurled to see Dr. Erskine beaming at him, The Drill Sargent glaring at him and Peggy had an unreadable expression. He sat up and looked at the dud grenade and then up at the three individuals. "Is this a test?" he asked.

Turned out that it was a test and he had passed. Now he was being transported to a secret facility when he would finally be given the chance that Dr. Erskine had been talking about. Peggy was in the car with him and they sat in uncomfortable silence until Peggy tried to break the ice.

"You have an unusual colour aura," she said. Steve looked at her and flared his aura a bit, the pale blue light was barely visible in the sunlight.

"I think it is an unusual colour," Steve said, "because it is a weak aura. That is the reason that despite all the advantages that Aurals have, I'm still the way I am. It can't heal all that is wrong with me." He looked up to see Peggy looking down at him with her face distressed.

"I'm sorry that I brought that up Steve. I said it without thinking. I didn't realize..."

"Hey. None of that," he said, "I'm sorry that i made you feel that way. It is okay. I've been like this my whole life. I am used to it. Well sort of, sometimes i wish i could be different. But gotta count my blessings right? Bucky says that if it wasn't for the aura that i would have probably been dead. I think so too. So it may be weak but it is keeping me alive so it's fine. Alright?" Steve stopped feeling abit out of breath. He tended to ramble a bit wen trying to soothe someone. He just never expected to be trying to sooth Peggy Carter. Peggy smiled at him.

"That Bucky sounds like you two are close," she said.

Steve nodded. "He's my best friend." Then suddenly he couldn't say anything more because of the lump in his throat. Peggy waited until he could continue. "I kinda joined up because of him. I wanted to be there with him in the war. So I could keep him company, maybe keep him safe, watch each other's backs so we could come back home alive."

Peggy nodded and tried to change the subject however she went from one touchy subject to another. "So I take it no special girl waiting for you."

Steve tried to hide the wince. He turned to look out the window of the car. "There are not alot of girls waiting to line up to dance with a guy they can step on," he said.

Peggy didn't reply for a while. "Maybe if you found someone you could Link with..." she trailed off.

Steve looked at her and then back out the window. "Maybe," he acquiesced. But he didn't tell her about Bucky. He didn't let on how much he missed their short connections. This chance meant so much more than just a man's wish to be a soldier. If it worked, Steve would be able to finally Link with Bucky the way they were meant to. The car pulled up before the awkward conversation could get any further. Peggy got out and took Steve into an Antiques shop. They walked past the shelves of old furniture and ornaments and then into the secret facility. Steve watched in awe as they came out to look over the a room jam packed with machines of all sizes, with lights blinking and lots of noises from both machines and the people operating them. Then a man turned to look up at them and the Steve's jaw almost dropped. It was Howard Stark. There were introductions all around and then Steve was ushered away to prep for his big Chance.

Dr. Erskine sat with him the night before the Chance. He had just told Steve the terrible story of his life and what the Serum he had created will do.

"Bad becomes worse," Dr. Erskine was saying, "Good becomes great." He poked Steve in the chest. "All I ask is that you will remain who you are inside Steve Rogers."

Steve promised that he would and then Erskine both offered and denied him a drink.

Howard was gentle as he strapped Steve into the Machine. "If anything happens," he said, "call out okay?"

Steve nodded but had no intention of calling out. He closed his eyes and pictured Bucky. Then he opened them to see Howard asking him if he was ready. He nodded. There was alot of bustle and large syringes were being lugged into the machine. He swallowed his fear, thinking only of Bucky and then the needles plunged in. He bit back a scream as the thick liquids were pushed into him. Then the sides rose and he was cocooned inside the machine.

"Like a butterfly," he whispered to himself, "Buck, what will I become?" He could almost hear Bucky laugh and say, _'You will become nothing more than Steve Rogers, Steve. But don't get sad about it. I hear he's a pretty cool guy_.' He managed a small smile before the pain began.

It felt like forever. Then he heard Howard calling to stop whatever it was that they were doing. Then he heard a noise that it took him a moment to recognize; a high painful wail. He was screaming. He forced the noise back down his throat and brought up words instead.

"Don't stop!" He screamed out, "I can take it! Don't Stop!" He had to take it. He was going to make this Chance count. The pain kept going then all of a sudden it began to recede. The sensation left him breathless. He felt the machine moving and soon he was upright. The sides parted and he saw steam roll out. He blinked a few times in the bright light then he saw the stunned faces of the people around him. He was about to ask what they were looking at when he looked down.

It was him but it wasn't him. Inside he was still Steve Rogers but outside. Outside he was tall, muscular and then he felt it. The current of Aura energy that was flowing inside him. It felt almost electric. The army men, medical doctors and other assorted individuals were streaming towards him as he made his first steps out of the machine. He stumbled a bit and someone pressed hands against his chest to keep him from falling. He looked down to see Peggy gaping up at him. She moved her hands back as if she had been burned.

"Private Rogers," she greeted him.

"Ma'am," Steve nodded to her and then as people began to touch him and tug at him Steve felt as if the contact was painful and their proximity suffocating. He flared his aura almost instinctively in the defensive way the army taught him. A bright blue aura flared off his skin; royal blue his artist's mind noted and the feeling was almost intoxicating, wiping away the painful sensations he had before. He had never felt his aura this strong or this purposeful. He looked won at his hands in awe, watching the blue light flicker like a fire. He felt tears welling up. He couldn't wait to find Bucky and let him see him. Couldn't wait to feel the full power of Bucky's mind in his own. Then he looked up to see that he was standing in a small clearing surrounded by everyone. Peggy was looking at him with a mix of awe and apprehension on her face while Howard was looking at him confused. Everyone's auras were on, flickering wildly. Steve saw Dr. Erskine coming towards him.

"Relax Steve," he said calmy, "No one will hurt you now. Not anymore."

Steve looked at him for a moment before he realized what the Doctor meant. He pulled his aura back down and everyone else's also flickered off.

"Did I do that?" He whispered.

Dr. Erskine beamed. "Good becomes great," he whispered back to Steve, "Did I not tell you that?" He paused then talks again if not a bit loudly. "Things are going to be a little clearer now, louder, and smellier. This is all normal understand. This is part of the new you."

Even as the doctor speaks Steve feels it happen. Things do get clearer and sharper, more detailed. He blinks a few times to see if it goes away but it doesn't. He hears better too and there is alot more scents now than he can recognize. The painful touches make sense too. He has become hypersensitive. He shakes his head a little, snorts out the scents softly but nothing is going away. He looks at the doctor and realizes that he hasn't touched Steve. His hand is little above Steve's skin but Steve can feel it there. He panics a bit thinking that maybe something went wrong and the Link with Bucky will turn out to be disastrous.

"It will become better with training," Dr. Erskine sad as if he read his mind, but maybe the panic is clearly written on Steve's face, "It will be alright Steve, I promise."

But then a shot rings out, Steve winces at the loudness of it and then his world if filled with sights, sounds and smells that he never wanted to see. Dr. Erskine's blood is a bright vivid red against his skin, he can hear the man laboring to breathe; the air trying to inflate punctured lungs, he smells the blood, sweat and the fear that clings to the man. He grabs the doctor trying to say something, trying to reassure the same man that was reassuring him just seconds before. But there is nothing. He can see that Dr. Erskine is dying. The man reached up and pokes Steve in the chest and then all the air whistles out of his lungs and there is nothing left. Steve just stares for what feel like an eternity and then he lets his rage out. His aura flares up violently and he looks up to see the Killer look at him and begin running. He sees Peggy going after the Killer. He wondered if the man had stopped to see his handiwork but he didn't realize that everything had happened in just a few seconds. He takes off after the man and Peggy, snagging a t-shirt on the way as an afterthought. He chases the Killer out the door and into the street. Peggy was standing there her face in despair as the Killer drive off. Steve doesn't stop to think but gives chase. His new body feels like it was born to move like this; at high speed and fuel by his aura. He realizes after a few seconds that he is still holding back, expecting to run out of air and collapse in an asthma attack. He glances down at himself to confirm that he isn't dreaming and then gives into the energy that is burning like a furnace inside him. His eyes glow royal blue and he is running so fast that the wind is whistling in his ears. Yet he can still hear and see clearly. He spares a though as to how he is going to explain this to Bucky, maybe he can just show him. Then he focuses on the car nearing car.

He can see the Killer looking back in disbelief then car goes into a bad swerving drive, trying to lose him. He keeps on its tail well until a slick corner where he slips and crashes into a store front window. He get back up with alot of apologies and then gives chase again. He is not even feeling tired and feeling like that makes him feel amazing. The killers ditch the car and begin running for the docks. Steve grins because he knows that he can take them now. Then bullets begin flying at him and he has to take cover. He isn't sure of how bullet proof he is so he stays down, looking for an opening. He get one, he snatches a trash can lid and flings it. He is surprised at the accuracy at which it hits the Killer's accomplice and knocks him out. He snatches another and makes a run for the Killer. Bullets come at him again but this time he summons his aura into a shield over the lid and hopes for the best. It works. He can feel the bullets bouncing off his aura shield like rain against his mind. When the bullets stop he loks to see that the Killer has taken a child as a hostage and is dragging him along the dockside. Steve grits his teeth and follows trying not to set the man off. The Killer sees him and throws the child into the water and makes a run. Steve dashes to see the boy swimming and encouraging him on. He smiles and then takes off after the man. The man had gotten in some kind of machine and was submerging underwater. Sever growls and makes a dive as the machine slips under itls mini waves. The water is cold but he can bear it and apparently he sees fine underwater too. He kicks out and makes better headway that he though towards the spinning propellers. He reaches the minisub, yanks the door open, grabs the Killer by his collar and swims back to surface to dump him dockside. He clambers up and grabs the man by the collar again.

"Why did you do that?" Steve shouts his eyes aglow, "Who are you?"

The man gargles a laugh. "Cut off one head and two shall take its place," he said, "Hail Hydra!" With that the man bites down hard and Steve smells a bitter scent before the man begins to convulse. Steve can see and hear the air being constricted from flowing then white froth bubbles out of the man's mouth. It take seconds for him to die. Steve drops the body feeling suddenly exhausted. He can still smell and feel Dr. Erskine's blood on him. He sits next to the dead man wishing for Bucky.


	6. A Soldier's Struggle: Part two of Steve

I do not own the Avengers.

This is the last part of Steve's Story.

Please reviews. THANKS!

* * *

Steve.

What followed was classified as the worst days of his life. After he was trained and cleared for duty, Steve was taken and paraded around the country. He was put in a costume, given a stage name, told when to use his Aura, had girls dancing around him and he had to perform for the crowd. Apparently his new body was now the property of the United States and he had to repay the debt of giving him a Chance. He doubted this was what Dr. Erskine envisioned for his super soldier but it was what Steve had become. Through the long and embarrassing months of show, his mantra had changed from _'Please let me see Bucky,_ ' to _'Please don't let Bucky see me_.' His world was now too bright, too loud, too tiring, too many babies, too many swooning women and not enough familiar faces or feelings of home to get him by. Then one day a miracles happened. He was sitting under an awning after a horrible show in front of real soldiers, sketching a circus monkey which was exactly what he was feeling like when Peggy Carter walked into his life again. He was both happy and a little suspicious as to why she was here. After all they had simply walked out of his life and left him to the war-bonds men.

"I'm sorry," Peggy started, "I wish it had taken a lot shorter to get our way." Steve frowned at her. "Is that how you feel?" She eyed his drawing. He nodded.

"By the time I get to do any real good, the war will be over," he said sadly.

"What would you say if I told you can start doing some good right now?" Steve looked up at her.

"I am not going to do any more shows," he said.

She smiled. "The only show I want to see is the one where you show the Nazi's who's going to win this war."

Steve looked at her for a second and then smiled back.

It was like the old days with him being trained by his old Drill Sargent, Colonel Phillips and Peggy but not like the old days since there were some new additions. Howard Stark was with them providing some really amazing weapons and designing Steve uniform. Steve was a bit apprehensive of wearing it since it looked alot like his old costume.

"But mine is not a costume," Howard protested, "This is state of art, Steve. It's like body armor. It'll work fantastic, I swear it." Steve had learned to take Howard's assurances with a grain of salt. Peggy grinned next to him.

"Plus it will make you an easier symbol to recognize," she said, "Everyone already knows and loves Captain America. Only this Captain America will be throwing real punches instead of pulling them." Steve grinned back and nodded.

"What about your weapon?" Howard said, "You still haven't chosen anything I made." Steve shrugged before moving over to the table where Howard had a range of stuff laid out.

"I just don't feel any of these," he said, "I can't see myself holding any of these as a symbolic weapon."

He fingered the guns, remembering Dr. Erskine's blood on his skin and acrid smell of gunpowder. He caught Peggy's sympathetic gaze and moved on. Then he saw it, a glint of steel under the table. He yanked out the circular sheet of metal and held it up against himself. It was a shield. He hefted it a bit and flared his aura. The Shield seemed absorb the energy into itself. Steve cocked his head a bit and then tried to pull the aura from the shield when that didn't work he sort of pushed against it. There was a strange sensation inside him, a weird swooshing sounds and then the shield exploded. When his vision cleared there was a small clearing around him. All the things around him had been pushed violently away from him. He looked to see Peggy and Howard pushing thing off them. Nothing was broken just moved away. They look at each other.

"So that is called Vibranium," Howard said, "And I can totally paint it in red, white and blue."

Once his uniform and weapon was ready Steve moved into the field. He was now a real soldier. His thoughts turned to finding out if Bucky was alive and then finding him. He thought about using his aura to locate Bucky, since he had heard that Linked Aurals could do that but then he and Bucky had never really linked fully so maybe that didn't work for them. His drill Sargent put him to good use and Steve began to enjoy using his new body. He was stronger, faster and his senses more enhanced than everyone else but he was still inexperienced and spent alot of time learning from the soldiers around him. It felt like a kind of bootcamp all over again. Then one day he heard the name of Bucky's squad, the 107th, being mentioned. He stopped the soldiers who were talking about it and heard that the squad had gone up against the Nazis and had been almost utter decimated with less than fifty of their two hundred returning and some also being captured. The news was like getting shot. Bucky was being held by the Nazis. Steve felt the world shake around him as he tried to wrap his brain around the fact that Bucky was so close to him but still far away. He had heard stories of what the Nazi did to their prisoners. The thought of anyone torturing Bucky made him want to just charge in, get Bucky and destroy anything in his path.

He found himself making his way to the Colonel Phillips, who was the commanding officer on base and asking to see the casualty list. The Colonel told him that Bucky's name sounded familiar and that he may have signed his condolences letter but Steve refused to believe it. Bucky was still alive; he felt it in his heart. He asked permission to go and rescue the captured men. Of course he was denied and he supposed that at another time it would have all made sense; that they were thirty miles behind enemy lines and that the place was one of the most highly fortified areas but this was Bucky he was thinking about. He would do anything to get Bucky back. He asked again and Colonel Phillips looked at him confused.

"I believe I made myself clear the first time Rogers," the man said.

"Sir, I believe that I can get them out," Steve persisted. He heard and smelled Peggy coming up behind him. The Colonel was about to shot him down again when Peggy spoke up.

"Sir…" she began

The Colonel spun around on her. "I don't care what you have to say Carter. The mission that we are preparing for right now takes precedence." He paused, "I'm sorry Rogers but those men will be only be helped if we win the war. In fact they may already be dead." Steve didn't mean to but his aura flared up. Wild blue flames flickered around him and his eyes were glowing.

"Rogers!" Phillips snapped. Steve took a breath and pulled his energy back in.

The man as doing his best to hide the fear. Steve stared at the Colonel, then at the map behind him memorizing when Bucky was located, saluted with an acid _Sir_ and then walked out. He heard Peggy following him but he didn't stop until he made his way to his tent and began shoving whatever he thought he would need into a small carry bag. Peggy stood looking at him.

"Are you planning on walking in Austria?" she asked.

"Whatever it takes," Steve said. The words rang deep inside him. _Whatever it takes to get Bucky back._

"This is more than just about those men, isn't it?" She asked. Steve looked at her and then sighed letting the tears fill his eyes. He scrubbed his face with his hands.

"Bucky is there," he said softly. Peggy said nothing but he could sense her confusion. "He's my Linked." Steve said. The words were finally out and it hung heavy in the air. He heard Peggy take a sharp intake of breath and turned to see her looking at him with an expression that he could not decipher.

"Well that explains a lot," she said. Steve frowned at the tremor he heard in her voice. Then she took a breath and was her usual composed self again. "I know I can't stop you Steve, but I can maybe help you cover some distance." She smiled at his confusion. "Come with me."

Turns out Howard Stark was not only rich and super smart but he was also a pilot. Steve was sitting in Howard's private plane, rechecking his weapons. Peggy was sitting opposite him.

"Everything in order?" she asked.

He nodded and stuck the second gun into its holster. He felt that he should be nervous but the fact that he was getting closer to Bucky just made him feel more excited. "You know, you two are going to get into trouble once if anyone finds out."

"And you won't?" Peggy asked with a small smile. Steve grinned.

"But where I am going, if anyone messes with me I can just take them out," he tapped the Shield. Peggy shook her head indulgently.

"And they will fight back," she said, "So don't be too reckless." The unreadable expression was back on her face. Steve frowned.

"You alright Peggy?" he asked. She jumped a little and was about to answer when Howard called out something about stopping for late night Fondue. Peggy looked in his direction and mock frowned, with a small smile playing around the edges of her mouth.

"Howard is the best civilian pilot I know," she said as if Steve had not asked her about her wellbeing, "This is you transponder. When you are ready, activate it and it will lead up right to you." She handed Steve a small box. Steve nodded, tucking it away in his jacket pocket.

"Are you sure this works?" he called out to Howard. Howard called back.

"It is tested more than you Steve. It will work, I swear it." Steve began to make mental backup plans to get out of Austria by foot. Peggy was about to say something else when a loud boom shook the plane.

Steve say the bright striations of anti-aircraft guns lighting up the air around the,

"We have a welcoming party," Howard sang from the cockpit. Steve grabbed his shield and flung the door open.

"Get back here," Peggy called desperately, "We are taking you all the way in." Steve shook his head, flaring his aura around him.

"You get out of here before you're shot down" he shouted to her, "I'll be fine. Wait for my signal."

"Steve," she grabbed his shoulder, he looked at her and saw the love and concern in her eyes. He finally read through the look that he couldn't figure out before. "Be careful Captain." She said. Steve nodded and smiled at her before snapping his goggles over his eyes and jumping out the plane.

A decent though airborne gunfire was truly an educational experience. Steve was falling like a beacon through the night. He kept his shield in the general direction of the gunfire, charged the vibranium and let it loose a little, forming a hopefully bullet proof shielding. The wind whistled like a train in his ears but the as usual his enhanced senses made him able to track his progress through the air. When he judged that he was near enough to the ground he began to use his Aura to slow his decent a bit, then he pulled his chute for extra help. He landed feet first and in the next few steps was out of the chute, had his Aura extinguished and had blended into the night.

Not for the first time Steve is grateful for the change the Serum had done for him. He made his way through the forest, his enhanced sense allowing him to move like a ghost. He didn't even need to stop and listen for sounds; his hearing was that good enough as he scouted for anything that would give him a clue as to where the Nazi base was. It took him about an hour to find the dirt road and not five seconds later a convoy of trucks rumbled past him. He let them past them ran after the last one, grabbing the back and pulling himself into the bed. He turned to see two soldiers staring at him; in weird black uniforms and googles. He nodded to them and then took them out easily when they attacked. He tossed the unconscious bodies out the truck and sat back to let to enemy take him to Bucky.

The trucks travelled for a short distance and Steve spied the gates closing behind them. He manged to slip out without being discovered when the trucks were being parked, and snuck through a lot of armoured tanks that didn't look at all at like the ones that they had. The symbol of a skull with tentacles was painted on the side. Steve stopped and ran a hand over it. 'Hydra?' he wondered then moved on, scaled one of the tanks to the top of a wall and entered the massive facility through a side door after taking out the guard. The inside was even more impressive than the outside, full of massive machines and lots of soldier workers. Steve out his training to use and made his way silently past the guards and workers, snagged a bit of the machinery that he saw for Howard and then went searching for the holding cells of the prisoners. He followed his ears and nose until he found the dank cages where the men were being held. He knocked out the guards and freed the men.

"Who are you?" a dark skinned soldier asked.

"Uh, Captain America," he replied and hurried away from the confused soldiers, hunting through the crowd of free men to find Bucky. "I'm looking for a James Barnes," he asked, "Anyone heard of him?"

A soldier with a slight accent replied, "Some men got taken to a place across the factory floor. None of them returned." Steve nodded to him and then directed them to the exit and with plans for meeting up later. He left them gaping at him and made his way across the factory floor hoping to find Bucky. He did find the place, another dark, wet set of corridors. As he moved along them, he spotted a small man with a coat running out of a room. He gave chase, hoping to catch him and make him take Steve to Bucky. When he passed the room, he heard a soft voice muttering. He froze, forgetting about the short man because he knew that soft voice. He ducked into the room and there lying on a table, strapped down was Bucky.

Steve swallowed the cry that wanted to burst out of his throat. Bucky was thrashing weakly muttering his name and number over and over. Steve ran over to him and began to rip the straps off.

"Bucky," he said, tears choking his voice, "Bucky. I'm here. I found you. Bucky." Bucky kept mumbling, his eyes unseeing as Steve finally freed him. Steve looked down at his Linked feeling helpless then he bent down and rested his forehead against Bucky's. He let his aura flare, royal blue light engulfing both him and Bucky. He took a moment to center himself then he whispered Bucky's full name and linked. Bucky arced upward with a gasp and Steve felt hands reach up to grab tightly onto his shoulders. He pulled back too see Bucky looking at him with wide open eyes.

"St..Steve," Bucky stammered. Steve could feel all of Bucky's thoughts and emotions running wilding across their Link. He felt a tear roll down his cheek. He had finally done it. He watched a Bucky's eyes unfocus a bit as Bucky realized what was happening. Bucky's face broke into a smile that lit his face up like the sun. "Steve!" he exclaimed and bolted up to pull Steve into a hug. Then he pulled back quickly, looking at Steve up and down. "Steve, you're bigger. What happened?"

Steve grinned at him but reigned in the memories for a later date. "I joined the Army," he said. Bucky gave a short laugh and let Steve help him down from the table. Steve could hear the noise that the escaped men were making as they were hopefully subduing the enemy forces. He glanced around the room, as he closed off their Link. He spotted a map across the room, automatically memorizing what he saw and then moving on to center himself as to where they were and how to get out.

"Come on," he told Bucky, slinging his arms around his friend and half carrying Bucky out the room, "Time to get out of here." A few steps later Bucky was walking on his own albeit like a drunk man.

"Did it hurt?" he asked.

"A little," Steve lied not really wanting to get into the whole 'I scream like a banshee while they pumped me full of an unknown fluid that may have killed me,' story.

"Is it permanent?" Bucky asked.

"So far," Steve said as they made a few turns. He as pretty sure they were heading in the right direction.

"I'm glad about it," Bucky said, "I like you not being so sick anymore." Steve felt the unsaid emotions leak across the brief Link that Bucky had reached out with. He stopped and took Bucky by the shoulders.

"I'm still me Buck," he said, "I'm still Steve Rogers in here." Bucky looked up at him and then leaned into Steve.

"Thank God," he whispered. Steve held him for a few seconds and then they were back to finding their way out. They made to the factory floor to find the whole place going up flames. Steve reorganized his plans and led Bucky up a few levels and then to catwalk. As they were going across it a man came out followed by the same short man from before.

The man hailed him out and Steve walked towards him, trying to get a feel of the man's aura.

"Seems like Dr. Erskine got it right," the man said. Then the story that the doctor had told him about a horrible man came flashing back. This was that same man. Steve felt his rage boil and flared his aura. The man laughed and flared his back. It was sickly red-gray colour. "You're not exactly an improvement," the man laughed, "But still impressive." Steve waited until the man was close enough that then punched him with all his enhanced strength. To his surprised the just reeled back lightly then came back with a violent swing. Steve brought his shield up, charging it and as the man hit the shield, the energy exploded outward. Steve and the man were both flung back to either ends of the catwalk. Steve got up with Bucky's help to see the catwalk ruined and man staggering to his feet. His face looked twisted for some reason. To Steve horror the man tore his face off, to reveal a red skeletal face.

"I am Erskine's greatest achievement," the man shouted at Steve, "You may pretend to be a simple soldier Captain but we have left humanity behind" Steve watched as the Red Skull man going into a chute while proclaiming to have accepted his superiority without fear.

"Then how come you're running," Steve called as the door closed. Red Skull did not reply. Steve turned to see Bucky looking at him. "What?" he asked.

"You don't have one of those do you?" Bucky asked. Steve gave him a look and then forced his mind to back to getting them out alive. The factory floor was really going up in flame snow. Steve scanned the upper levels and saw a slender metal beam that led their way to freedom. He led Bucky up to it, trying to ignore the heat from the fires below. He made Bucky cross first and just as he was about to cross the beam gave way and fell into the furnace below. They looked at each other in horror.

"Just go," Steve called out unwilling to let Bucky die trying to save him.

"There has to be a rope or something," Bucky called desperately.

"Just go!" Steve shouted again.

"No! Not without you!" Bucky shouted back almost hysterical. Steve growled a bit, bend the ruined railing to make some space, tried to calculate the distance and then moved back as far as he could. He flared his aura and charged his shield. He ran as fast as he could, leapt off the edge, spun in the air and let the charge out. The resulting boom of energy, flung him across the remainder of the distance easily and into Bucky's arms. They wasted no time in getting out, running through the carnage of machines in the front yard and into the forest. Steve reached for the transponder only find that that it had been smashed.

"Just figures," he muttered glad that he had made those plans for travelling by foot.

He was never go glad to see the base camp. Beside him walked, Bucky and five other men that had somehow become close to Steve during their walk to freedom. Steve glanced at Bucky as they rolled into the camp, followed by Dum Dum, Gabe, Jim, James and Jacques. Behind that front line were the other men who were either walking or riding the massive tanks and trucks they had stolen from the enemy base.

There was a lot of cheering and explaining to do. So it was a few days before Steve and Bucky finally got some time to be by themselves. They lay like side by side, like dead men in Steve's tent. "I never got say thanks," Bucky said.

"For what?" Steve murmured sleepily.

"For saving my life Steve," Bucky said punching his arm lightly. Steve rolled over to look at Bucky.

"You don't need to thank me Bucky. You would have done the same if I had been captured," Steve smiled at him, "I am just glad I found you when I did." Bucky had told Steve about the experiment that had been done on him. They had him checked out by the doctor and had been given the clean bill of health. Despite the clear by the doctor, Steve had found that Bucky's aura had changed color a bit; it was darker blue than he remembered. But he didn't care about that because the man inside was still the same man and that was all that mattered.

"Me too," Bucky whispered and then pushed Steve onto his back so that he could rest his head on Steve's chest. They flared their auras and merged them a bit, taking comfort in each other's presence and letting their closeness heal away some of the hurt and pain of the past few months.

Then things got even more hectic. The map that Steve had memorized from the room where he found Bucky turned out to be very important. It was the locations of the Hydra bases. Colonel Phillips decided that Steve had proved his worth and wanted Steve to take out the bases. Steve agreed but declined the Colonel's offer of a team. He knew exactly who he wanted.

Turns out that convincing Dum Dum and the rest of the group was easier than he thought. All he needed was the truth and an open bar tab. Bucky of course agreed to come with him but told him that he wasn't following Captain America but Steve Rogers. Steve had smiled and pressed their foreheads together. Before they left to cause Hydra some real problems, Steve introduced Bucky to Peggy. He knew it was probably not a great idea but he needed to let her see the reason for him not being able to reciprocate her feelings. He hoped that if she saw Bucky that she would understand. Turned out that Bucky and Peggy hit it off really well. There was still a trace of sadness left in Peggy's eyes when she pulled Steve aside to talk to him.

"I get it," she said, "I've never had a Linked before but if I do even meet mine, I would want it to be like yours and Bucky's." They both looked over the where Bucky was sitting at the bar, his face aglow with laughter. Steve smiled at her.

"I am sure that yours will be just as good," he said.

An exciting and tiring few months followed. Steve and his Howling Commandos as Dum Dum had christened them caused Hydra some serious trouble. Red Skull was growing desperate in his attempt for world domination. It all came to a head when they were standing atop a mountain in the dead of winter while Gabe tried to make sense of the signal they were intercepting. Turns out the short man that Steve had seen back when he had rescued Bucky, was called Dr. Zola and he was very important to Red Skull. They had a really close window to catch the speeding train that Zola was on. Steve, Bucky and Gabe were the ones that went to extract Dr. Zola from his high speed getaway. They made the heart stopping swing onto the train and left Gabe atop while Steve and Bucky went in to get the doctor. They made into the compartment and took a moment to Link before proceeding. They moved like one unit; scanning the carriages, information relaying over their bond as they moved.

Then enemy fire came sparking down from behind some shelves tied down in the middle of carriage. They moved like dance, returning fire and taking cover. Steve caught wind of the trap just as it happened. And suddenly he was on one side of the door and Bucky was closed in with the shooter. Steve watched as Bucky got pinned down behind a crate, bullets ricocheting off the top. Steve flared his aura for extra protection, flung the door open while relaying his plan to Bucky. Bucky caught the weapon Steve tossed as he ran through the door, releasing a bit of energy across the room. Crates went flying and as the shooter ducked out of the way Bucky shot him dead on. They shared a grin right before Steve heard the hum of one of Hydra's energy weapons. He jumped in front of Bucky, holding his shield up just in time. However the energy weapon just discharged the Shield and the side walls of the carriage blew out with the force.

When Steve came too, he heard Bucky calling to him. Steve watched as Bucky picked up his Shield, charged it with his own dark aura and discharge it against the enemy. The man went flying back into the train and Bucky went flying out, the shield clattering against the room and falling onto the floor. Steve screamed and dashed to see Bucky hanging off the outside of train by a barely holding railing.

"Hold on Bucky," Steve said, making his way out to Bucky, "I'm coming." He watched Bucky struggle to keep his grip on the railing that was tearing way in the wind. He reached out his hand as he inched along, trying to also cling to the blown out wall.

"Take my hand. Hurry!" Steve shouted. Bucky tried to move along the railing, the metal groaning too loud in Steve's ears. He almost there when Steve heard the metal give a final groan and snap. What happened next was the most horrible moment of Steve's life. It was as if they were suspended in agonizingly slow time. Steve saw Bucky with his hand reaching for him when Bucky realized that he wasn't going to make it. His face changed from hopeful to fearful to sad all in a few seconds. Then he was falling. Steve screamed after him, hearing Bucky's own screams as he fell away from Steve, growing smaller and smaller. Steve could feel and hear everything through their Link; all the fear, all the sadness and then it was gone. He wasn't sure if Bucky had closed off the Link or if he was dead. Steve hung to the wall, his tears being torn away from his face, screaming Bucky's name as the train whisked him away.

The rest of what followed felt like a nightmare that Steve couldn't wake up from. Gabe captured Dr. Zola, who gave up Red Skull's location and plans. Steve knew he was expected to lead the team to destroy Hydra once and for all but he felt no joy, anger or anticipation. There was nothing but a big deep hole where Bucky had been. Peggy came to see him as he sat at a small bar table trying to get unsuccessfully drunk.

"It's not your fault, she said and Steve tried to hold back the tears that welled up.

"Did you read the report?" he asked. She nodded. Then you know it's not true. I am the supersoldier. I was supposed to protect him, but instead he got killed trying to protect me."

She said nothing for a bit. "Did you respect him?" Steve gave her an incredulous look. "Then respect him for what he did. As far as I know Steve Linked people are protective of each other. He did what you would have done. So respect his choice." She paused, "And let's go give that Red Skull hell for what he took from you."

Turns out it was a massive undertaking and Peggy did not let her self be left out of the fray. Steve let himself be captured as a diversion and then took off to find Red Skull when Peggy led the men into the compound. He found Red Skull but the man had taken off in a huge airplane. Lucky for Steve Peggy and Colonel Phillips were tracking him and they drove him via a stolen truck near enough to jump onto the airplane's wheels before it took off fully. Once inside Steve fought off soldiers, stopped smaller aircrafts from being launched, had a harrowing experience of being air borne and outside one of the same air crafts but he managed to eject the pilot and get back on board by crashing the aircraft into the airplane. After barreling through some more Hydra soldiers he finally came face to face with Red Skull in the cockpit.

He flared his aura, charging his Shield and growled at Red Skull. Red Skull laughed and flared his own sick red-gray aura.

"You don't give up do you?" Red Skull said.

"Nope," Steve replied and changed just as Skull pulled out a large energy gun and shot at Steve. The shield discharged, deflecting the shots. Steve didn't stop but rammed into Red Skull. The man braced the blow and stuck Steve causing him to stagger back and loose his grip on the Shield. The man's aura was powerful enough that Steve felt his aura threatening to break. He had a moment of panic then he remembered Bucky and he gritted his teeth and fought back. They traded blows and kicks, scrabbled over the large Hydra machine that was latched to the floor, smashed crates and other paraphernalia into each other and reeled like drunk men when they parted. They were evenly matched and for the first time in a long while someone's punches actually made him hurt.

Steve managed to get his Shield and discharge it at Skull. Then man flew back and crashing into the control, setting off a shower of sparks. The airplane suddenly lurched downward making Steve's stomach flutter as he was flung upward. Red Skull used the momentum to crash his body into Steve's. They engaged in a weird, violent dance as each tried to dominate the other. Finally Steve got his Shield between him and Red Skull and with a scream he charged it as much as he could and then let it loose. Skull rocketed off the walls of the plane and then crashed into the machine. There were sparks flying and then a shower of blue lightening tracing weird patterns into the air. Steve watched as Skull got up and swayed on his feet. There was a small blue cube that lay exposed. Red Skull took hold of it, pulling it closer to look at it. Suddenly the cube began glow almost white and send out the blue lightening patterns again. Steve took a step backward. Skull held the cube up and with a weird bust of noise the air above them was filled with stars. Steve gasped. Red Skull turned to smile at him. Just then the cube began to glow brighter. Steve watched in horror as Red Skulls' hand began to smoke and then disintegrate into beams of light. His hand was quickly followed by the rest of him; his screams being the last thing to go as his body shot upward into the stars in a column of swirling light. Steve blocked his eyes and when he looked up again, the stars were gone. He dashed to the controls in time to see the destination of the plane. New York City. He grabbed the controls, looking out the plane's windows to see nothing but pink hued clouds and a white sky. He still had time.

He managed to get the communications working and got Peggy on the line. He told her about Red Skull's death while trying to find out how the airplane actually worked. Peggy was just telling him to give her co-ordinates so she could get him a safe landing site when he figured out why the plane was heading to New York. It was loaded with bombs.

"I think there won't be safe landing site for me," he said, "There are bombs on board. It's heading to New York City. I gotta put it in the water."

"No," Peggy snapped, "I can get Howard on the line. He will know what to do."

"It's too late," Steve replied calmly, "It's moving too fast. Peggy it's fine. I'm alright with this."

"Well I'm not," she said over the line, "Steve I can't let you kill yourself."

"You're done your best," Steve said, already moving the handles down so that the nose was pointed down toward the icy water, "What happens now is my choice. Respect my choice Peggy."

"Steve," her voice came broken over the line.

"I just want you know how good you've been to me," Steve said, as the ice came rushing up to him, "I'm glad that I knew you. You're a good friend Peggy." He never heard her reply. The plane slammed into the ice and the last thing Steve remembered was Bucky's smile and the sound of his laugh.


	7. Behind the Mask

I do not own the Avengers.

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 **Tony.**

Tony was a genius. And a Billionaire. And a Playboy. Oh and a Philantropist. He was a car manic, a holographic addict and a drunkard. He was an ultra rare Gold Aura human, which meant he possessed the special ability to manipulate inorganic material with his aura. He was a very difficult man to get along with and had a hundred different eccentricities that he once had a list off but now it had grown too long after his desert escapade. He was distrustful, coldly violent when he was truly angry and only spoke of his true feelings to his robots and Pepper. He had an Arc Reactor in his chest, the first of which had been a car battery an aging professor had rigged up to save his life in a dusty cave. Now it was a part of him that he used to harness the biggest secret of his life to power what had been the second biggest secret of his life. He was Ironman; a regular mortal dressed in a suit of Titanium alloy that had been shaped by his Gold Aura and was energized by his second Blue Aura. He was forgetful, thoughtful and lonely. He craved family, solitary confinement and someone to share his mind with. He was a hero, had been a villain and wanted to have his tall tower filled with voices of others. He wished that all his dreams would come true and didn't believe that they would. But he hoped. And hoped. And hoped.


	8. Torn in Two

I do not own the Avengers.

Sorry for the long time in between updates. I had work...lost inspiration..and yeah...you guys knows how it goes. But the muse came back today..YOOHOO!

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Bruce Banner was not a good man. Everyone thought he was because of his green aura, his quiet demeanor and his easy ways. But he wasn't. Inside he was a broken bitter man; abused as a child, picked on by bullies all his life, unappreciated for his genius and unlucky with the ladies; except for Betty and even she could just Merge with him and not Link. So while he smiled outside, he seethed in side. While he laughed with others, he screamed in silence. While he kept calm in every situation, he was a mess of nerves and rage that was only kept down by sheer force of will. Then everything changed and what was on the inside came out into the open.

He guessed he would have been able to handle the change if it was just a mental breakdown, or a decisive action to stop hiding his emotion for the betterment of his life but it wasn't. It was worst. It was a fundamental change to his DNA caused by over exposure to gamma radiation which ripped open his mind and warped his body to suit what it had found in there. He had always pictured his broken bitterness as a small, twisted persona sitting in a corner of his mind sending out sickly green tendrils to poison his soul. But now he knew what it looked like; a huge, green, possibly indestructible, hulking monster. The super powerful Hyde to his mediocre Jekyll.

And in a twisted turn of fate and a healthy dose of bad luck, Bruce's badness; his lifelong hypocrisy turned out to be the one thing that was helping his keep his sanity and save the life of everyone around him. Except now; he seethed, screamed and was a mess of nerves a rage against himself. No longer did he rage against others. As long as the bitterness was turned in, he could maintain the face of Bruce Banner, genius professor. But when the bitterness turned outward, the Other Guy came to the fore. It was a precarious dance between self hatred and self preservation that so often blurred lines that it had resulted in depression and one failed suicide attempt.

It was after the suicide attempt that Bruce came out of his depression. Suicide may not have been the way but it showed him another way out. He looked at himself and at the Other Guy and made a conscious decision to get better. It was time to face the bitterness instead of raging against it. It was time for him to accept that there was a part of him that wasn't good instead of trying to always be good. And maybe, just maybe if he faced up to his problems he could find a way to make peace with all the demons or just that one demon, in his life.


	9. Saving a Spider

I do not Own the Avengers. It's been super long, I know. But inspiration had to bubble up from a very deep well. I hope that you all enjoy!

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 **Clint**

"Are you sure that she's here? Because I haven't seen a single little sing that anyone is out here." Clint asked. This was day three of Operation Kill the Black Widow and so far the most important part of the operation; finding the Black Widow, remained unfulfilled. Clint was no stranger to patiently waiting for his marks to appear but in all of those cases he had been mostly sure that his marks were going to appear. The Black Widow did not fall into the category of 'mostly sure to appear' marks. Coulson's voice came back thin but the authority and unruffled confidence was undiminished.

"Yes," Coulson replied, "She is." Clint trusted Coulson so he decided to give the man the benefit of rapidly increasing doubt. Just as he had shifted a millimeter to ease up a cramping muscle he felt more that heard the whisper of a sound. He flipped onto his back, bow swinging with him and arrow already firing in the direction of the sound. Bright red lines of aura stuck out and sliced his arrow. Clint bit back a curse, rolled to his feet with three other arrows already fired both at the last place the aural lines appeared as well as to either sides. What he did not expect to see was the red lined Black Widow seemingly materialize out of the darkness in the air above him; her arms and leg coiled under her in the likeness of her name. He reacted instinctively to her attack, flaring his violet aura in response to her and nocking and firing arrows to counter the barrage of small knives that were falling towards him like silver raindrops. He reached for his last arrow just as she touched ground. Her hand extended out with a gun attached to the end of it while he stood with his bow and arrow at the ready. They stood facing each other, stock still, knowing that the next move would determine who would win. Clint had fought many short and dirty fights but this one was the first in a long time that had his body humming in fear, anticipation and excitement.

The Black Widow was not what he was expecting. She was shorter that he was, slender and so pale and stone faced that it seemed that she was made of porcelain. It was a code among fighters that you should never speak during one of these moments but then Clint was never one to follow any code but the one that he followed.

"You are smaller than I expected," he commented offhandedly, "And how the hell did you actually jump that high without using an aural boost?" The Black Widow didn't reply to him. Instead she put her other hand up and it held another gun. Clint smiled.

"Fighting dirtier now are we?" he grinned at her. Then he extended his aura to form a solid shaft of violet light alongside his arrow. He spotted the tiniest of twitches at the corner of her lips.

"Your arrows cannot fly faster than my bullets," she said. Clint gave her a genuine Clint Barton Shit Eating Grin and fired. The steel arrow with its core of his aura flew true and knocked the gun out of her left hand and the pure aura arrow flew and buried into self in her gun mouth. She dropped it just before it exploded. In the second of chaos Clint lit up another aural Arrow but as he made to fire the Black Widow flared her our aura bright. Violent, bright red, spikes of light shot from her body towards him. He flared his own aura to shield himself from the onslaught and let the arrow loose. He watched at his arrow flew true and buried itself in her chest just as her deadly aural spikes sliced though his aural barrier as if it wasn't there and then he was transported.

He was in room with other girls, none of them looking over the age of seven. They were in pairs and fighting with a sick, deadly ferocity; auras flaring, blood spilling and faces bared like grotesque masks. Then he was in another room darker than the first and he was alone with just another girl tied to a chair. The girl in the chair had been beaten badly, her face puffy, red and split open in some places. He lifted his hand and shot the girl in the forehead, his own small pale hands were speckled with blood from busted knuckles. The girl's head fell back and room fell with her and he was in the open and it was snowing. He felt cold and looked down so see that he was naked but the body wasn't his. It was a young woman's and there was dried blood pasted against the pale skin. There was a body lying at his feet, a young man but the head was bashed in. He looked to see the tree branch in his/her hands. Then he was running; snow crunching under his/her numb feet. He could feel hot tears flowing down cheeks. Then he stumbled into another room and warehouse loft this time. There was a gun in his/her hands and he felt hungry. There was also a deep sense of loneliness and loss that made him want to take a breath but he couldn't. He fired the weapon and the bullet seemed to shatter the reality in front of him and he was pulled along a string of images and emotions like an out of control cinema reel. Finally he jerked to a stop and saw himself. He fought against himself; seeing and feeling the sick hope of death as he/she held back the ferocity of his/her attacks. Then the moment came when he realized that he was not going to let himself/herself be killed and the disappointment that followed. Then the use of his/her red aura and then he was suddenly himself again. He saw that The Black Widow had slumped to one knee, a hand pressed to the arrow wound and was looking up at him with an actual facial expression.

"Natasha," he whispered her name. Her mouth dropped open.

"Clint," she whispered back to him. Then her face contorted. "What the hell did you do to me1" she screamed, "What did you do?" Clint was moving before he realized what he was doing. He gathered her up into his arms and flared his aura around her. He felt the Link hum between them strong and vibrant. Natasha was still screaming in his arms but her hands were locked around his biceps in a death grip. He focused on the Link and began using it to funnel his auras healing ability over to her. Finally the screams died down to a tearful moaning that was tearing him up inside.

'What did you do to me?" she asked him for what felt like the hundredth time.

"I shot you, I Linked with you and now I am trying to save your life," Clint replied, "That's what I did alright?" She fell silent after that and they said nothing until Clint felt through their Link that her body was picking up the slack that he was holding on healing. He eased off his aura and then noticed that his earpiece was beeping frantically. HE pressed a finger to it to hear Coulson's voice coming through tense and worried.

"Barton, for God's sake, answer me," Coulson pleaded.

"Hey boss," Clint replied and swore he heard something like tears being chocked back and cheering in the back ground.

"Status report Hawkeye," Coulson came back, his voice trying to head back to calm waters but Clint heard the tremble in it.

"I'm fine Sir but I didn't kill The Black Widow," he looked down to see Natasha looking up at him. Their Link was still very much engaged and he felt her in his mind like a cold, sharp blade pressed up against him. It should have made him worried but it just felt reassuring. He smiled down at her and she frowned at him.

"She got away?" Coulson both asked and stated.

"No Sir," Clint replied, "She my Linked." There was a silence so palpable that Clint felt it through the ear piece.

"Please repeat that Hawkeye," Coulson asked.

"No Sir," Clint said his grin getting bigger as Natasha's frown got more pronounced, "She's my Linked." Then he could not hold it in any longer, "I told you my Linked was going to be badass Coulson. I TOLD you." He felt Natasha surprise leaking through the Link as her frown was replaced by what could be interpreted as 'deer in the headlights' eyes. He felt something that could have been hope and disbelief coming from her before the emotions were yanked back across the bond. He squeezed her shoulder and she flexed her fingers a bit from where they were biting into his biceps. "I need a medic though. I shot her through the chest just before we Linked. I have her stable here but I think she needs medical attention," he paused as the frown returned on Natasha's face, "No matter how much she thinks she does not." Clint waited for Coulson to reply. There was a brief moment of fear when a Clint though that Coulson was going to order him to go through with his mission. Then Coulson; The Most Amazing Handler To Have Ever Existed, came back over the coms, loud and clear.

"We'll be there to get you both back home safely. Hang tight Hawkeye." And suddenly everything was right in the world. Clint looked back down at Natasha who was holding herself very still in his arms as if afraid to move.

"We'll be home soon," he said. She frowned harder at him and he smiled back at her.


	10. Otherworldly

**I do not own the Avengers.**

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Thor hadn't expected to know what the Midgardians meant by ' _butterflies in your stomach'_ , because how could the small, fragile creatures that Jane Foster had shown him end up in one's stomach. But waiting here, hidden deep inside Asgard's forests, the feeling that he was having in his stomach definitely felt like small, winged creatures were flying around in there. And beyond that, the deep heat of his Aura energy lay dormant yet roiling. It was only by his force of will that he kept this new power contained until he was ready and then it would burst forth to flood his body with a delicious heat, seep from his pores to arc across his body like bold, red lightning bolts.

' _You have to let it out often_ ,' he remembers Jane Foster telling him with her own green aura flickering around her, ' _Or else you will go crazy. This energy of ours it's our Life Force. And like all of life, it wants to be seen and expressed. It_ _ **wants**_ _to be used Thor. That is what's it is there for. If you keep it caged it will not do you any good._ '

Thor flexed his fingers allowing his control to slip just a bit and felt the exhilarating relief that always came when his aura manifested. Small bolts of red aura sparked off his fingers and sizzled out into the air.

"You asked me to meet you here?"

Thor snapped his control back into place and forced the build of power back down. The act left him feeling a bit irritated and hollow. He shook himself mentally and turned to see his mother making her way through the trees. He smiled and moved to embrace her. She returned his embrace and then held him at arm's length with a searching look on her face. Thor knew the reason for that look; before he had been sent to Midgard he had been affectionate to her but never demonstrative. However after his exile, Loki's betrayal and fall into the abyss, almost losing the All Father; things had been brought into sharp perspective. Despite their extremely long lives; Asgardians were not immune to Death. And Thor did not intend to have regrets where his remaining family was concerned.

"Why all the secrecy my son?" she asked. Thor smiled again but this time a little more wary. The butterflies were flying rapidly now.

"I…." he paused, unsure of how to phrase his words without making it sound like he was hiding from the All Father; which in essence, he was. "I thought it best to bring the issue to you first since you may have more…experience in these matters."

Frigga raised an eyebrow but bowed her head to acknowledge his words and the message behind those words. She let his arms go and cupped his face in her firm hands.

"Whatever it is, you needn't be afraid. You are my son, Thor," she said, "Nothing you do will change that. I love you and I will always love you." Thor felt a surge of warmth at her words and then a pang of sadness as he thought about Loki and all that had transpired.

"I would have liked him to be here," Thor said quietly, knowing that she would know of whom he was speaking, "Maybe it would have helped to heal some of the terrible wrongs that had all but eaten away the bond that we had." Frigga's sad look matched his own. Then Thor look a deep breath and pushed aside the hurt and focused back to the situation at hand. He stepped back and took her hands in both of his.

"It would be better if I showed you. Words are not able to fully explain it," he said.

He flexed his fingers and let his control go. It was an almost agonizing relief. Jane Foster was right; he needed to let his Aura out more often. He felt the heat surge up from deep within until it filled his entire being; gasped a little as his Life Energy seeped out through his pores to coat his skin and then began arcing like lightning bolts around him; curling around his body and flicking out into the air. He tilted his head back a little to let the euphoric feeling wash over him. He could feel Mjolnir responding to surge of energy and his hammer's power hummed in the back of his mind; ready and anxious to let it loose.

"Thor!" he heard his mother call out to him. He blinked a few times pulling himself back from the ecstatic feeling of finally having his Aura loose. Frigga was reaching out a hand to him, her face contorted in a mix of awe, concern and fear.

"Don't be afraid Mother. I won't hurt you." He held his hand out to her; his aura arcing in wide circles around it. Frigga gasped and took a step back as an Aura Arc flared out near her. Then she set her jaw and took his hand. Thor watched the look on her face melt away into pleasant surprise as his Aura Arcs dancing across her skin, doing no harm.

"Thor," she breathed his name almost reverently this time.

"That isn't all," he said, calling Mjolnir to his hand. He gave the mental nod to his hammer and watched as the Aura Acrs gathered around the hammer's head. Then with one swift strike he tore open a portal between Asgard and Vanaheim. Lush forests of another world swayed inside the rend. Thor stepped through, leading Frigga into the home of the Vanir. As they passed his Aura pulled the breach shut.

For long seconds they stood hand in hand until Frigga squeezed his and turned to place her hand on his cheek.

"You have nothing to fear from me," she said and he knew that she was telling the truth. "Now tell me from the beginning."

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 **Please Read and Review. A word, line or phrase will go a along way in letting me know how you all are enjoying the story. Thank you!**


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